Spring suspension.



J. F. O'CONNOR.

SPRING SUSPENSION. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1914.

Patnted May'2,1916.

m illlllllllllll" INVENTOR J/Ln dii'arzrwr ATTOR Y WITNESSES:

JOHN F. OCONNOR, or cmoaeo, ILLIIIoIs, assIeNoa 'ro WILLIAM H. Minna, or

new YonK SPRING SUSPENSION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1914. Serial No. 852,996.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN F. UCouxoa, a citizen of the United States, res ding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring Suspensions, of whichv the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n spring suspensions, and more particularly to spring suspensions for veh1clessuch as automobiles and the like.

The main object of the invention is to provide a springsuspension suitable for automobiles and the like in which the main shock absorbing spring usually interposed between the axle and the frame'or chassis is operated in the same direction and manner to absorb the main or primary shocks andalso the recoil. Or, stated in another way, to so arrange the spring suspension that the spring is. compressed or flexed in the same direction when the frame or chassis moves from normal toward the axle and also when it moves from normal away from the axle.

The invention furthermore consists in 1rnprovements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinatlons of the parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

In the drawing" forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a part side elevation, part vertical section showing my improvement in connection with the chass1s of an automobile; Fig. 2 isa vertical transverse section showing parts of the chassis and axle of an automobile and taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the spring is compressed or flexed in absorbing the recoil of the body or chassis of the vehicle.

llhe axleis designated by the reference 10, and the same may be of any wellknown or suitable form; 11-11 denote the side members of the chassis or vehicle body or frame, the normal tive to the axle 10, 1s shown in Fig. 1. Inter-posed between the chassis and the axle, one at each end of the latter, are half elliptical springs 12, each of which comprises a plurality of plates assembled in the usual manner and secured to the axle, as by means of fasteners or clips 13-13. Inasmuch as osition of which, rela the arrangement is the same at each end of the axle, it will only be necessary to describe the construction at one end thereof. To each side member 11 of the chassis or frame are pivoted two levers 14,.each of which is pivoted at a point substantially in vertical alinement over the axle, as indicated at 15.

Each of said levers 14 is substantially of l.

shape in cross section, the vertical Wall 16 thereof slidably engaging the side .of the member 11, and, the horizontal bottom inwardly extended flange 17 thereof engaging the underside of the member 11. As shown in Fig. 1, the right-hand lever 14 is provided with a clamp plate 18 by which the spring 19 is securedthereto, the spring 19 being attached to the spring12, as by means of a pivoted link or hanger 20.v The lefthand lever 14, as viewed in 1, is provided with a depending bracket ore'xtension 22 which is pivotally connected to the opposite end of the spring 12, as by means of another link or hanger 21. A substantially V-shaped loop 23 is provided which extends under the axle 10 and has the ends of the arms thereof pivotally connected to the levers 14=-14, as indicated 7 at 24, the pivotal connection being arranged .between the pivotal connection 15 and the ends of the levers- 14:. The substantially V- shaped loop 23, at the bottom thereof, is provided with a pocket 25 for a short coil spring 26 interposed between the loop and the under side of the axle 10, the 100. 23 being spaced from the axle 10 in norma position of the parts, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. I

The operation of the device is as follows: "When the automobile or other vehicle strikes a rut or depression in the roadway, the body or chassis naturally moves toward the axle,

and during such movement the spring 12 will be compressed or flexed downwardly, due to the fact that the levers 14-44 engag ing with the under sides of the side members 1111 more with the latter and force the ends of the spring 12 downwardly, and during such movement the loop 23 also moves downwardly bodily with the frame or chassis. Upon the recoil the parts return in the usual manner until they reach the normal position indicated in Fig. 1, the spring 12 being thereby released and allowed to assume normal position. Upon a continuatlon of the recoil of the chassls or frame,

the loop 23 willbe moved upwardly until the spring 26 is compressed, whereupon movement of the loop23 relatively to the axle 10 is prevented. As the frame .or chassis continues its upward movement, the pivotal connections 2l2-l serve as fulcrums for the levers 1f1at so that the levers 14-14 are tilted and have their outer ends forced downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3. This movement obviously causes the spring 12 to be compressed or flexed in the same manner that it was during the absorption .of the primary or main shock. Such compression is indicated in Fig. 3, the dotted line showing the normal position of the upper face of the spring, and the full lines showing the spring 12 flexed or compressed when the chassis or frame has moved up above its normal position. a relatively light spring and is provided to lightly retard the upward movement of the chassis for a short distance and before the levers 14-44 are brought into action. In order to render the arms of the loop 23 flexible, the lower ends thereof have the longest dimensions extending parallelly to the axle 10, as indicated at, 28.

-I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred embodiment of my improvement, but I am aware that the arrangements to obtain the same result and advantages, and I do not wish to be limited by the description and drawing forming a part of this specification, but contemplate all the structures and arrangements coming within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: I 1. In a spring suspension, two relatively movable members, a spring, said spring secured to one of said members having one end thereof flexed to compress it when said members approach each other, a lever pivoted to the other of said members, a relatively stationary fulcrum for said lever intermediate its ends and which remains substantially at a fixed distance from the member to which said spring is secured, when the parts move away from each other from normal position, and means connecting said lever to said spring.

2. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the I combination with the frame, axle, and plate 'spring interposed therebetween, saidspi'ing being secured to the axle, ally connected with both the frame and spring, and means for forminga fulcrum for saidlever which is fixed with respect to the axle when the frame moves away from the axle, said fulcrum being located intermediate the pivotal connection between said lever and the frame and spring.

In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the'axle, a member ofthe The spring 26 is lnvention may be embodied in various other axle, said levers at their of a lever pivotframe and a plate spring-secured to the axle, of a lever pivotally connected at one end thereof to said frame member and pivotally ment of the frame, said lever being also connected to-the sprlng, and means extending from said lever to the axle and arranged to form a fulcrum for the lever upon upward movement of the frame.

5. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with a member of the frame, an axle and a plate spring secured to the of means for connecting the frame to the spring including a pair of oppositely extended levers pivoted to the frame member and also attached to the spring, and a loop pivotally connected to the levers and extending beneath the axle and arranged to engage the latter upon upward movement of the frame.

6. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the axle, frame and half elliptical spring secured to the axle, of means for applying forces to the ends of said spring when the frame moves toward the axle, said means including oppositely arranged pivoted levers connected to the ends of said spring, and means for causing said levers to flex said spring in the same direction and manner when the frame moves above its normal position relatively to the axle.

7. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the frame, axle and plate spring secured to the axle, of a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame at points substantially in vertical alinement over the free ends being pivotally connected with the ends of the spring, and a loop extending beneath said axle, said loop having the ends thereof connected to the levers.

8. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the frame, axle and plate spring secured to the axle, of a pair of levers pivotally connected to the frame at points substantially in vertical alinement over the axle, said levers at their free ends being pivotally connected with the ends of the spring, a loop extending beneath said axle, said loop having the ends thereof connected to the levers, and a cushioning spring interposed between the loop and the axle.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with the frame, axle, and

axle, v

spring, of a lever pivotally connected at one er-intermediate its ends, upon relative sepen (j(l1 to seid fra gel'and afiit s opposlilte (lead t3 a-ration of the frame and axle. sal sprlng, sal ever avm a, s on ere portion engaged by the fram whereby the JQHN U CONNUR' 5 lever is moved. downwardly simultaneously Witnesses:

\ upon downward movement of the frame, and CARRIE G. RANZ, I a relatively stationary fulcrum for said le- ARLINE R. ARNOLD. 

